Rimfire – The Hunting Gear Guyhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com
Hunting Equipment ReviewsTue, 17 Mar 2020 19:56:58 +0000en-US
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1 https://www.huntinggearguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/cropped-New-Logo-32x32.pngRimfire – The Hunting Gear Guyhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com
3232Norinco JW-20 Review (Copy of Browning SA-22)https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/norinco-jw-20-review-copy-of-browning-sa-22/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/norinco-jw-20-review-copy-of-browning-sa-22/#respondSat, 14 Mar 2020 20:07:52 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9492Just recently, I reviewed the Savage 64 Takedown and some viewers rightfully called me out that it wasn’t the cheapest takedown 22 in Canada. That honor is currently held by the Norinco JW-20, a $180 copy of the Browning SA-22. So, I took the logical next step and bought one for review. I believe that […]

Just recently, I reviewed the Savage 64 Takedown and some viewers rightfully called me out that it wasn’t the cheapest takedown 22 in Canada. That honor is currently held by the Norinco JW-20, a $180 copy of the Browning SA-22. So, I took the logical next step and bought one for review.

I believe that the current Norinco JW-20’s we’re seeing in Canada were originally made in the 90’s for export to the US and ended up with us since the US has not lifted their mid-90’s ban on Chinese firearms. The JW-20 user’s manual is ancient with rusty staples holding it together and the rifles were bagged and preserved in thick oil. That all said, they’re pretty cheap, with Cabela’s selling them for $189, which is where I bought this one.

Using the Norinco JW-20

Pull back on the magazine inner from the buttstock until you reach the stop (or it comes completely out), then start feeding rounds into the side port on the stock. It’ll take 11 rounds and you’ll know when you’re at 12 because the round will poke out the hole instead of sliding inside. Rack the bolt charging handle on the bottom of the receiver and you’re loaded and ready to go. The bolt will not lock open after the last round, so you’ll know when you’re empty by hearing a “click” instead of a bang.

The crossbolt safety is just in front of the trigger. The trigger itself is fairly long, VERY spongy, but light enough at 4lbs.

New rounds are fed into the top of the bolt mechanism while empty shells are ejected downwards. Some shooters wearing long sleeve shirts might have hot brass run down their sleeve if their hand is in the wrong place. I had 2 failures to fire when I was out shooting in -15C weather, but it runs well otherwise.

The rear sights use a sliding shutter to adjust for elevation, similar to the rear sight on the Ruger 10/22. Can’t say I’m a fan, but I did like the tight cheek weld when using the iron sights.

The rifle is 5.1lbs and it comes with a threaded muzzle, which is pretty useless for Canada.

Takedown Mechanism

To takedown the JW-20, you push the takedown lock up, pull the bolt back, and rotate the two sections apart. Make sure you do not hang on to the stock as you turn the two sections together as the wood nearest the receiver is a weak point and will crack if you subject it to too much stress.

The takedown mechanism works really well once you’ve adjusted the takedown nut appropriately. The takedown/barrel nut has to be adjusted when the barrel is off the rifle, little bits at a time, until the turn in is nice and tight. This is demonstrated in the video review on YouTube. If you adjust the nut when the barrel is on the rifle, you’ll never get it tight enough and it’ll be wobbly and inaccurate.

JW-20 Modifications

If you bought yours from new, completely disassemble and clean ALL the packing oil out of the gun. I completely disassemble my Norinco JW-20 in the video, so just follow along with me. After cleaning, re-oil or grease or whatever you usually do. If in doubt, Hoppe’s No 9 oil.

If you’re mildly handy, there are 2 small modifications I’d recommend for this rifle:

Filing the edge off the receiver bottom where your hand runs across it when charging the rifle. The edges here are sharp enough to be uncomfortable, and a quick touchup with a file will knock off the edge.

Smooth the transition on the takedown lock. The takedown lock on mine was extremely gritty because the pocket and detent were really rough. You can either run the takedown lock back and forth a bunch of times, or lightly polish the transition in the pocket where the detent goes. I opted for polishing it. This makes the detent a LOT nicer to use. Don’t go nuts here.

you just need to break the sharp edge here for it to be nicerThe transition between the dip and shelf can be smoothed for easier operation, don’t go too far

There is a cantilever Browning scope mount available for this rifle, but at $69, I don’t think it’s a great fit for this rifle. There’s also a $24 Leupold mount and $12 Weaver mount that are better choices for a $189 rifle. Or just use the irons like Browning intended!

Conclusion

To end things off, I thought it’d be interesting to compare the Savage 64 takedown vs the Norinco JW-20. They’re both 22LR takedowns in the same price range, one holds 10 while the other holds 11 shells, and they’re both kinda roughly finished. They both have similar trigger pull weights (4 lbs), the risk of unreliability is present for both, the Savage is a half pound lighter. I’d say if you’re not mechanically inclined and need to rely on a warranty, the Savage is the better bet. If you can touch up a few small things, and you like the aesthetic of the wood on the JW-20, it’s a nicer looking gun.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/norinco-jw-20-review-copy-of-browning-sa-22/feed/0Remington 581 22LR Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/remington-581-22lr-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/remington-581-22lr-review/#respondSat, 14 Mar 2020 18:39:10 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9308The Remington 580 series of bolt-action 22LR rifles includes the 580 (single shot), 581 (detachable magazine fed) and 582 (tube magazine fed). They were made over a pretty long run of 1967-1999 (this one was made in 1980.) There was even a 580 “smooth bore” for shooting 22 shotshells. The 580 series was a replacement […]

]]>The Remington 580 series of bolt-action 22LR rifles includes the 580 (single shot), 581 (detachable magazine fed) and 582 (tube magazine fed). They were made over a pretty long run of 1967-1999 (this one was made in 1980.) There was even a 580 “smooth bore” for shooting 22 shotshells. The 580 series was a replacement for the Remington 511 and used 6 rear locking lugs kind of like the centerfire Remington 788 that was introduced at the same time.

The action on the Remington 581 locks up very securely. Personally, I think the multi-lug approach is overkill and unnecessary for a 22LR, and maybe Remington was trying to sell the idea to people who really loved their 788’s.

To remove the bolt, you pull the bolt to the rear, depress the safety down, then remove the bolt from the rear.

The magazine has a slot in the back where the magazine guide goes into. I’m not really sold on the value of using these guides as the downside of them is a more complicated magazine with a breakable slot back and more parts that can potentially break. In fact, the clip guide on the 581 I reviewed here broke and had to be replaced. Some modern day Savage and Marlin rimfire rifles still use magazine guides and I can’t say I’m a huge fan of those systems either.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/remington-581-22lr-review/feed/0Remington Nylon 66 Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/remington-nylon-66-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/remington-nylon-66-review/#respondSat, 14 Mar 2020 17:58:25 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9278The Remington Nylon 66 is a semi automatic 22LR made from 1959 until 1989. Remington collaborated with Dupont to use the new Nylon 66 formula to make a rifle that was mostly made of the polymer. While it looks like the receiver is at least made of steel, you’re actually looking at a thin sheet […]

The Remington Nylon 66 is a semi automatic 22LR made from 1959 until 1989. Remington collaborated with Dupont to use the new Nylon 66 formula to make a rifle that was mostly made of the polymer. While it looks like the receiver is at least made of steel, you’re actually looking at a thin sheet metal covering of a polymer receiver! Because of all the plastic, it’s lightweight, operates without need for much oil, and there’s not much to rust.

Using the Nylon 66

The Remington Nylon 66 uses a tubular magazine in the stock of the rifle. You remove a tube inner from the back buttplate, drop rounds bullet-down into the back of the stock, then replace the tube inner to add spring tension to the rounds. Rack the side charging handle and you’re loaded and ready to go. New rounds come up from underneath the bolt while ejected shells go out the tiny ejection port on the right. The bolt does not lock open on an empty magazine.

The tang safety at the rear is very clicky and nice. I love tang safeties, and think they’re more ergonomic than cross bolt safeties.

The rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation if you’ve got a flat screwdriver, or you could use a spent 22LR shell rim. The front sight is a big, unprotected blade.

There are dovetail rails on that sheet metal receiver cover if you want to run a scope, but I personally think this rifle fits the irons best.

If you have a Nylon 66 and/or other tube fed 22LR’s, you might want to look at getting a Catch 22.

Conclusion

With no more Nylon 66’s being made, they’re starting to come up in price. Personally, I think the price mostly reflects that a lot of people shot Nylon 66’s as kids and now want to own one out of nostalgia. If you are nostalgic for the Nylon 66, I’d recommend getting one sooner rather than later, as the price is going to keep increasing.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/remington-nylon-66-review/feed/0Savage 64 Takedown Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/savage-64-takedown-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/savage-64-takedown-review/#respondTue, 10 Mar 2020 03:15:57 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9418The Savage 64 Takedown is a new take on the Savage 64 to make it into a handy takedown model. Released recently in 2019, the Savage 64 takedown is a semi automatic, magazine-fed, takedown 22LR. It uses a simple barrel nut that you can tighten or loosen by hand and it comes in a carrying […]

The Savage 64 Takedown is a new take on the Savage 64 to make it into a handy takedown model. Released recently in 2019, the Savage 64 takedown is a semi automatic, magazine-fed, takedown 22LR. It uses a simple barrel nut that you can tighten or loosen by hand and it comes in a carrying case.

Savage 64 Takedown Specifications

16 ½-inch matte black carbon steel barrel

Weighs 4.5 lbs

Barrel nut allows easy disassembly

Includes soft carrying case

10-round detachable box magazine

Black matte synthetic stock

Drilled and tapped receiver for scope mounts (Weaver 16)

Available in right and left hand models

The Good

First off, the Savage 64 is the cheapest new takedown 22LR you can buy. This one was under $200 Canadian pesos on sale, and that’s a LOT cheaper than other takedowns on the market like the popular Ruger 10/22 Takedown ($490), Mossberg Papoose ($300), but just a bit more expensive than the New Old Stock $180 Chinese Norinco JW-20. At that pricepoint, it may be the only takedown 22LR in some people’s budgets and that’s important.

The takedown mechanism is pretty easy to use. Slide the barrel into the cutout, turn the nut until it’s tight, and you’re done. No adjustments are ever needed, no barrel wrench is required either.

The trigger is also acceptable. It’s a long 2-stage trigger with about a 4.5lb pull. I think that’s OK for a rimfire rifle of this price point.

The fact Savage has switched from dovetail mounts like they had on the old Savage 64 to only drilled and tapped makes me happy. Rimfire dovetail mounts are garbage and the faster they die out in favor of better drilled and tapped weaver mounts, the better.

The Bad

Disassembly to get the bolt out is a royal pain in the ass. 4 different screwdriver bits are required and it’s easily the worst popular semi auto 22 to disassemble. This is NOT a big deal if you’re a low volume shooter and only use this for hunting small game. Savage’s new A22 is an absolute dream to disassemble compared with this dated design.

Accuracy is not great. While the rifle has scope mounts, you might want to just use the irons. The iron sights are OK and the accuracy is good enough for use on small game in the field.

Reliability can vary with Savage 64’s. They’re made to a price point, and the fit and finish of some components like the magazine means that some people will see jams with theirs.

Controls like the safety are a bit stiff and the recoil spring is also pretty stiff compared with other rifles out there. Youth under 12 years old might have issues racking the bolt. The magazine release isn’t great either, but since most 22’s has trash mag catches, it’s about par.

I hate to complain about a free carrying case, but it could be so much better for the same price. The carrying case is both bigger than it needs to be and doesn’t have padding at the bottom where the rifle hits the ground if you roughly put the case down. The channel in the case where you put the barrel is way bigger than it needs to be, the spot where the rifle is too big, it’s just a crappy fit for the rifle. I think this must have been an off the shelf Uncle Mike’s bag that they re-purposed for the rifle instead of designing one that fits it better.

Conclusion

Should you get a Savage 64 Takedown? I think it fits one use case well: low volume, low priced, small game hunting with the iron sights. Even though the case is bulky, it carries nicely on your back. It’s not the best tool for the job, but it’s by far one of the cheapest.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/savage-64-takedown-review/feed/0Spectre Ballistics Ruger 10/22 Aluminum Chassishttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/spectre-ballistics-ruger-10-22-aluminum-chassis/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/spectre-ballistics-ruger-10-22-aluminum-chassis/#respondSat, 11 Jan 2020 21:15:52 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9398The Spectre Ballistics International (SBI) 10/22 chassis is an aluminum chassis upgrade for your Ruger 10/22 that gives it more flexibility in parts and better ergonomics for use with a scope. SBI loaned me this chassis for this review. Spectre 10/22 Chassis Features The barrel is fully free floated (lots of room for even a […]

The Spectre Ballistics International (SBI) 10/22 chassis is an aluminum chassis upgrade for your Ruger 10/22 that gives it more flexibility in parts and better ergonomics for use with a scope. SBI loaned me this chassis for this review.

Spectre 10/22 Chassis Features

The barrel is fully free floated (lots of room for even a heavy barrel)

The rear receiver pin is replaced with a pin that unitizes the stock system as well, stiffening the whole system

The receiver takes standard AR15 buffer tubes, which gets you access to a pile of different adjustable stocks. (you provide the tube+stock)

It takes standard non-beavertail AR15 grips (you provide the grip)

It’s got M-lok slots on the sides and bottom of the stock for mounting bipods, sling swivels, etc.

One of my complaints with the stock Ruger 10/22 stock is that it drops so much at the rear, which is ideal for iron sights but way too low for use with a scope. You can get more expensive Ruger models that include a better stock that’s made for optics, or stick on a cheek rest. The Spectre 10/22 chassis, with its straight buffer tube and a stock on it, fits me perfectly for use with a scope mounted pretty low. I get a great cheek weld with it setup as pictured.

The other thing I wanted to test out with a Ruger chassis is adjustable length of pull. I take kids out shooting a lot, and the Ruger is ideal for 12 year olds and up, but some of the smaller kids can’t reach the trigger and get a good cheek weld because of their little t-rex arms. Adjustable length of pull with an AR style buffer tube and telescoping stock is perfect for this.

Accuracy with the stiffened stock system was good, but I would need a better barrel to really figure out the true difference in accuracy between the regular stock and this upgraded aluminum chassis. The stock+action make a nice “ping” on every shot, which is also what a well unitized M14 does, maybe that’s a good thing?

I used the mlok slots for a push button detachable sling mounting cup. Unlike the slots on some of my AR forends, which are super tight to the barrel and gas block and don’t offer a lot of room, there was tons of room on the inside of this forend to fit accessories.

Conclusion

Here in Canada, there are not a lot of stocks like this. There are plastic stock systems, some nice laminates, but not a lot of decent aluminum ones like this. For someone looking for much better performance out of their Ruger 10/22, or more flexibility in fit, or all of that plus a more tactical look for shooting rimfire competition, check out the Spectre 10/22 chassis.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/spectre-ballistics-ruger-10-22-aluminum-chassis/feed/0Mossberg Plinkster Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/mossberg-plinkster-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/mossberg-plinkster-review/#respondSun, 05 Jan 2020 19:37:01 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9348The Mossberg 702 Plinkster is a semi automatic 22LR rifle made by CBC in Brazil and imported/branded by Mossberg. It’s one of, if not THE cheapest semi auto 22’s you can buy, but is it any good? Prices vary in Canada and the US. I picked mine up on a black Friday sale at Tundra […]

The Mossberg 702 Plinkster is a semi automatic 22LR rifle made by CBC in Brazil and imported/branded by Mossberg. It’s one of, if not THE cheapest semi auto 22’s you can buy, but is it any good? Prices vary in Canada and the US. I picked mine up on a black Friday sale at Tundra Supply.

Mossberg 702 Plinkster Specifications

1.7kg (3.75 lbs) on my scale

Last shot bolt hold open (kinda)

Charging handle bolt lock

Cross bolt safety

Rear sight adjustable for elevation and windage

Receiver dovetailed for scope mounts

The first thing you notice when you pick up the Plinkster is how light it is. At just 3.75 lbs, it’s 3/4 of a lb lighter than the already light Marlin 795, and much lighter than the 5lb Ruger 10/22 or 5.5 lbs Remington 597. While the stock is similar to a Marlin stock, the barrel on the Mossberg Plinkster is quite a bit lighter than the Marlin’s. Plus, practically everything is made of plastic on the Plinkster.

The Plinkster is extremely cheap feeling. Everything is made to a low price, low material cost. That’s OK for a cheap rifle, but there are a few parts that may not survive long. The front sight is a fiber optic, which is really cool, but it’s protected by an incredibly thin, flimsy sight protector. The rear sight is also plastic, and I don’t think it’d take a hard sideways hit before breaking.

The magazine & release aren’t fantastic, but they’re still better than a lot of other rimfire rifles. For some reason, rimfires use the cheapest, shittiest magazines and magazine retention mechanisms possible. At least you can take the Mossberg Plinkster’s mag out with one hand instead of needing two. The big fat extended mags have a mag release built-in that depresses the factory mag release, which is kind of an interesting concept.

The magazine follower juts up into the action and prevents the bolt from going forward on the last shot, which is kind of interesting. The bolt slams forward if you remove the magazine in this state.

Some of the other components on the Mossberg Plinkster are a bit out of place. The buttpad is a real buttpad like you’d see on a centerfire rifle instead of a plastic or thin rubber buttpad. The bolt hold open is a pull back, push in, and release affair that I think would be prone to failure if it was jammed full of crud.

Mossberg Plinkster Disassembly

Disassembly/reassembly for cleaning is a real pain in the ass. 2 action screws from the bottom, sure, but then you need to drift out 2 pins to remove the trigger group from the receiver. Reassembly is worse as you have to fit a plastic bolt stop piece as well as wedge the bolt and trigger group in at the same time. Don’t bend the recoil spring on the way in, or it’ll never be the same, and don’t forget that bolt stop or it’ll start beating the rear of the receiver up with the bolt. There are systems that are worse than this (Savage 64, I’m looking at you), but it’s pretty bad compared with rifles like the Ruger 10/22 or the Savage A22, which is a dream to clean.

Reliability from my Mossberg Plinkster has been excellent so far. Reliability issues that other report with them online seem to be related to fit/finish of some parts not being up to snuff causing malfunctions. A buddy of mine has had his fire out of battery a few times, which is not super confidence inspiring either.

Conclusion

The Plinkster is a good deal at a certain price point only. Against the Remington 597, Marlin 795, or Ruger 10/22, it’s far cheaper in build and objectively not as good. If you find one that’s $50-75 cheaper than a Marlin 795, which would be the Plinkster’s closest competition, it’s worth it to look at.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/mossberg-plinkster-review/feed/0Cooey Ace Single Shot 22LRhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/cooey-ace-single-shot-22lr/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/cooey-ace-single-shot-22lr/#respondThu, 07 Nov 2019 06:50:36 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9257It’s a bit funny to review a Canadian Rimfire rifle that’s about 90 years old, yet here we are. The Cooey Ace 1 is a single shot, bolt action 22LR made in Canada between 1929 and 1934. It was preceded by the Cooey Canuck and succeeded by other Ace’s, Model 39, and whatever other names […]

It’s a bit funny to review a Canadian Rimfire rifle that’s about 90 years old, yet here we are. The Cooey Ace 1 is a single shot, bolt action 22LR made in Canada between 1929 and 1934. It was preceded by the Cooey Canuck and succeeded by other Ace’s, Model 39, and whatever other names there were for Cooeys single shot, manual cocking bolt action 22’s. For those interested in the history of Cooeys, check out Calibre Magazine’s feature or join the Cooey Collectors FB group.

Video Review

Today, single shot Cooey 22’s go for around $100-$200. That means they’re still able to compete with new single shot 22’s like the Savage Rascal or Chiappa Little Badger on a price/value perspective. One thing you’ll find on the Cooey that’s a bit different is that you have to manually cock the bolt. It doesn’t cock on open or close, you have to pull back on the knurled tail to ready the action for firing.

One thing I noticed about the Cooey Ace was how light and handy it was. It’s only 1.5 kg (3.4 lbs). There are very few protrusions as well: the front sight is rounded, and the rear sight is compact and doesn’t really snag on anything. This combination makes it really nice to haul through the bush in pursuit of some rabbits or squirrels. And that’s what this little rifle is great for. Throw a few rounds of 22 in your pocket, and take it out small game hunting and it’s in its element.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/cooey-ace-single-shot-22lr/feed/0GSG-MP40 22LR Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/gsg-mp40-22lr-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/gsg-mp40-22lr-review/#respondWed, 09 Oct 2019 06:20:41 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9199The GSG-MP40 is a German-made, MP40 style semi auto rifle chambered in 22LR. While original MP40’s are prohibited in Canada, the GSG-MP40 is non restricted, so you can get into a MP40 looking rifle for $599 that you can actually shoot. My 3 gun buddy Kurt loaned me this rifle for review. Features 12″ barrel23 […]

The GSG-MP40 is a German-made, MP40 style semi auto rifle chambered in 22LR. While original MP40’s are prohibited in Canada, the GSG-MP40 is non restricted, so you can get into a MP40 looking rifle for $599 that you can actually shoot. My 3 gun buddy Kurt loaned me this rifle for review.

Features

12″ barrel

23 round stick mag, extra mags are $59

2 flip up rear iron sights with one sighted for long distance

Non reciprocating charging handle

Under-folding stock

Feel

At ~7lbs, the GSG-MP40 has enough heft that it doesn’t feel like a toy. The exterior still uses a lot of plastic, but that’s to be expected from a rifle at this price point.

Using the magazine as a front grip, the gun is super satisfying to shoot from the hip. Shooting it from the shoulder stock, you begin to understand the compromises that Germany put into the design in order to get a compact, inexpensive submachine gun. Underfolding stocks like this don’t have a super comfortable cheek weld. The sight picture isn’t too bad, and the bright yellow dot on the front sight is an inexpensive way to make the sights a bit easier to pick up and use.

The safety is located where the original takedown was on the GSG. For every 90 degree rotation, you rotate between safe and fire. It’s not super practical as a safety, but it’s a clever way to give functionality to an original design feature.

There are sling slots on the rear of the receiver and on the front left of the the receiver next to where the barrel starts. Slinging it up should allow you to carry the firearm on your right hip, ready to pull up at a moments notice (to shoot a pop can?).

Summary

So what and who is the GSG MP40-22 for? It’s not a super practical hunting or precision shooting. But what the MP40 22LR delivers is fun plinking. Pulling one out at a gravel pit, you can shoot it at pop cans, shoot it from the hip, and shoot it using the uncomfortable underfolding stock. Ram in a huge stick mag with 23 rounds, slap the charging handle down from its notch, and have at it.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/gsg-mp40-22lr-review/feed/0ISSC SPA Straight Pull Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/issc-spa-straight-pull-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/issc-spa-straight-pull-review/#respondThu, 22 Aug 2019 06:04:38 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=9048The ISSC SPA is a straight pull rimfire rifle made in Austria. Launched somewhere around 2014/2015 in 22LR, 17HMR, and 22WMR, there are shockingly few reviews available online, and none are in-depth. There are no in-depth reviews for the SPA/Scout, the Steyr Scout-esque stocked version of the straight pull SPA either. I borrowed this rifle […]

The ISSC SPA is a straight pull rimfire rifle made in Austria. Launched somewhere around 2014/2015 in 22LR, 17HMR, and 22WMR, there are shockingly few reviews available online, and none are in-depth. There are no in-depth reviews for the SPA/Scout, the Steyr Scout-esque stocked version of the straight pull SPA either. I borrowed this rifle from my buddy to get this review out and get some information on the internet!

Straight-Pull, Toggle Lock Action

The most unique thing about the ISSC SPA and Scout is the toggle link, straight pull action. It’s a faster, simpler manual action than a bolt action and it’s the style of action preferred on biatholon rifles. It’s very easy to keep the rifle shouldered and run the action using the large bolt handle. They’re also fairly mechanically simple.

Trigger and Usability

The trigger on the ISSC is very light and. . .you can’t feel a wall or break. You just keep pulling and eventually it goes off. Some people have reported issues with this trigger mechanism, and I can see why, as it doesn’t feel quite like most triggers out there.

ISSC SPA Accuracy

4 – 3 round groups shot at 50M

I found accuracy with the ISSC SPA was excellent. It really liked SK Standard Plus, printing several fantastic looking cloverleafs at 50M.

Reliability

From new, the rifle would mis-feed the odd round. After firing a few hundred rounds, the action worked better and was more sure. You’ve got to run the action with some vigor to get the best feeding possible.

Summary

The ISSC SPA is a unique rifle action at a CZ price, but it’s not competing with the CZ’s. It’s a competition rifle for matches where semi autos are not allowed and you feel the need for speed. With just a simple pull/push action, you won’t disturb your sight picture as much as with a bolt action. So it could be a better rifle for rimfire rifle competition than some bolts where time is of the essence.

]]>https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/issc-spa-straight-pull-review/feed/0Scorpio EM332A 22LR Reviewhttps://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/scorpio-em332a-22lr-review/
https://www.huntinggearguy.com/rimfire/scorpio-em332a-22lr-review/#respondMon, 01 Jul 2019 19:11:06 +0000https://www.huntinggearguy.com/?p=8394The Scorpio EM332A is a Chinese manufactured, bolt action 22LR. The action itself is based on the Anschutz 54, so accuracy could potentially be very good. In fact, the 322 action is the same as that on the Norinco NS522 that I saw amazing accuracy out of. So, is the Scorpio EM332A a great way […]

The Scorpio EM332A is a Chinese manufactured, bolt action 22LR. The action itself is based on the Anschutz 54, so accuracy could potentially be very good. In fact, the 322 action is the same as that on the Norinco NS522 that I saw amazing accuracy out of. So, is the Scorpio EM332A a great way to get amazing accuracy out of an inexpensive bolt action 22? And is it more accurate than the favorite value priced bolt action 22LR, the Savage MkII?

A new NS522? From the serial number and quality checks placard that came on the Scorpio, it looks like it was manufactured in 2016. My Norinco 522 is hard to tell, but we know these rifles were initially manufactured for the US in the mid-90’s when the Chinese arms ban occurred.

Shooting the Scorpio EM332A

Shooting the Scorpio is enjoyable when you’re at the bench, and shooting for small groups. The tight bolt turn-in, crisp trigger, and superb accuracy add up to a fantastic bench experience. For basic plinking, running the bolt is a bit of a chore, and the safety is not very usable because it’s so far from your firing hand. The bolt handle hides inside the stock and the bolt knob hugs the stock very closely. The magazine release is better than some 22’s, but that’s not saying much. At least you can activate the release and pull the mag out with the same hand.

Trigger

The trigger mechanism itself is excellent: offering no creep and a 4lb trigger pull. That trigger pull weight can be reduced with use of lighter trigger return springs, just like I did on my NS522.

Iron Sights

The iron sights on the Scorpio are tall, steel, and the rear sight is adjustable. In 2019, a fiber optic front sight would be nice, but this is a budget rifle so I imagine they just use what they have at hand. The bigger disappointment is the rear sight adjustments: they use a flat blade screw for windage and a Philips for elevation. What’s up with that? With the front sight using “wing” style screws, you’ll need a pretty full screwdriver set to pull off the sights. That all said, the rifle does come with usable iron sights. They’re tall and weird looking, but still usable.

The dovetail rail on the top of the rail enables you to mount a scope, but there’s not much adjustment back and forth available and it’d be nice if it offered Weaver or a length of Picatinny rail mount option on top because there are more scope mounting options available for those at most hunting shops. That said, it’s $170-$199, so we have to accept some compromises.

Stock

I’m not too crazy about the thumbhole stock on the Scorpio 322, but I like the grippy textures on the forend and pistol grip. The firm rubberized butt hangs on to your shoulder nicely. The steel sling swivels are nice to see in a market where plastic sling swivels or no sling swivels included are more common. The cheek rest could be higher for my taste: it’s low even for the iron sights and really low for scopes. You will need a cheek riser of some kind to get a good cheek rest when using a scope. But, the stock is lightweight.

Accuracy

With a tight Anschutz 54 style action, the rifle is already on the first step towards being accurate and repeatable. The barrel is also supposed to be rotary hammer forged, though the spiraling on the outside of the barrel is gone because the barrel was turned down afterwards.

This rifle didn’t give me great accuracy out of the box, but after running through about 100 rounds, it started printing them within about 0.5-.75″ at 50, and doing so very consistently.

Scorpio EM332A Pros

Low cost: $169-199

Fantastic trigger out of the box: no creep, 4lb trigger out of the box: easily tunable if you want lighter

All the accuracy you’d need out of a rimfire rifle at this pricepoint

Very grippy stock that features steel sling studs

Cons

The bolt knob is small and very tight to the stock, so it’s difficult to grab

Trigger travels too far, needs overtravel adjustment

Mag fit was pretty tight on mine. This can be improved by sanding proud edges on the mag smooth

2 different styles of screws used on the adjustable rear sight. WTF were they smoking at the factory?

Very difficult to find mags and parts

A thumbhole stock is silly for a rifle with a safety on the left of the receiver

Very shallow crown at the muzzle that would be easily damaged

Stock cheek rest is made for use with the irons. It should be higher so you can get close to scope height

I hate dovetail rails and prefer weaver or picatinny mounts

Is it better than a Savage Mk II?

This is the real question. The Norinco NS522’s at $199 are long gone, so they’re not an option anymore but are the Scorpio EM332A’s better than a Savage Mk II? At $289, a Savage Mk II is 50% more expensive than the Scorpio EM332A but they come with some huge advantages. They have established parts and aftermarket, there are lots of models models with heavy barrels, regular, and a multitude of stocks.

Really, it’s hard to compare the EM332A to a Savage Mk II because the Scorpio is half the price. That $150 could go into getting a better scope or more ammo. Even though the Scorpio is very reasonably priced, I think it makes for a poor beginner’s rimfire rifle. It’s not as easy to use as a Savage Mk II or a Ruger 10/22, and I’d feel bad giving a raw beginner a rifle with tight bolt turn in, tight magwell, and sharp checkering. If you already have a semi auto 22 and you want a more accurate bolt action 22 for CHEAP, the Scorpio EM332A might fit the bill.